Buffy - The Later Years
by Anna Marie Masen
Summary: Set ten years after the final battle in Sunnydale. Will Buffy and Angel find their way back to each other?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Sunnydale. The once thriving small town, home of the Razor Backs and the Bronze, had been nothing more than rubble left to rot in the newest American tourist trap. 'Come see the town that the earth swallowed whole' the banners read every fifty miles down the highway. The town had made more money as a Crater in the ground, that officials stated happened after a major fault with the gas lines underneath, which in turn had had a substantial affect causing tectonic plate movement. No one quite understood the science of it, as the science of it didn't quite make sense. Conspiracy theories ranged from Alien invasion to Military testing, either way, no one was blaming demons or slayers and that was perfectly fine with the Watchers Council.

In the two years after the final battle that Sunnydale witnessed, the once powerful slayers began to lose their strength and skill, their memory the last to go. Against their better judgment, the Scooby gang joined with the new Watchers Council in order to figure out what was happening. Spell after spell went wrong, until they finally contacted the right Oracle who simply explained;

"What was meant to be, will stay and what was forced to be, will go. There must be a balance, for that is why the Slayer was created."

By the fifth year, the only Slayers that remained was Buffy and Faith. A new true friendship had grown over time and together they traveled fighting evil and slaying. They often checked in on the other once-were-slayers but it was as if those years never happened and the amnesia kept them happily unaware of the true danger they had been in.

It had taken a long time, but Los Angeles was finally beginning to regain its population. The story had it that the tectonic plate disaster of Sunnydale had caused fault lines to appear over time and not even a year later, a similar event had taken place. The truth of course was that no one actually knew what had happened, not even Angel. One moment he was running into war and the next, he awoke in the desert; Spike, Wesley and Gunn by his side. It had been as if their deaths had never happened. Angel too had searched for the truth and was told an identical answer from different 'Powers that Be'.

Over the years, Buffy had spoken to Angel over the phone but they had concluded to stay clear of each other as neither of them really understood just what was happening. It was easier this way, they both had so much to accomplish and figure out, they were afraid being around each other would only serve as a distraction.


	2. Chapter 1 - Nightmares

Chapter One - Nightmare

Lightning tore through the thick cold grey clouds that settled over London, the rain playing a soft melody on the rooftops. Buffy sat looking through the window at the sleepy empty streets beneath her. Nightmares crowded her dreams and she often found herself unable to sleep. Giles had insisted on her arrival in London, a show of support to the new Watchers Council and for the ten year anniversary of the Final Battle. When Buffy had first heard that the Watchers Council was being reformed, she had insisted thoroughly that she wanted nothing to do with it, that was until Giles had been put in charge. Wesley had joined him shortly after and together they had formed a working, understanding council that not only regathered all the lost texts but was also able to offer support to Buffy and her friends, morally and financially. Dawn was finally finishing off her medical training, newly engaged and settled in New York. Willow and Oz had finally been reunited and after a few years of working together, complicated feelings had resurfaced. Xander never really moved on from Anya, this was mainly because he never really attempted to. Like Giles, he had buried himself in books and undergone watcher training... And so Buffy found herself alone a lot of the time, just like tonight.

She sat picking the split ends from her hair, unimpressed with the way the water in England made her hair feel. She could just make out her reflection in the window, her thirty two year old skin was starting to show its stress lines and her eyes didn't quite sparkle the way they once had. She was feeling old and alone. She sneezed, an odd sensation she rarely felt, scratching her head she tried to remember the last time that had happened, pulling her fingers through her long blonde hair, smoothing down the mess of waves that threatened to frizz at any given moment. Her mind wondered to what could have been? She thought about Riley and Spike and how she had loved them both but was never really in love with either of them. The truth was Angel had stolen her heart and she never fully recovered from that. Just thinking his name sent her heart fluttering and it was in that moment that she caught her reflection once more. All those years ago, she believed that aging wouldn't matter, that nothing would matter if they were together. In this moment, she remembered how he was always the older looking one, how others had gossiped about Buffy's older Boyfriend. But now, she looked older and this aging would never stop. She let go a long suffering sigh. If only they had left her when she had died, the last ten years wouldn't have happened and she would have been happy.

The hours passed, she laid in bed, eyes wide without even the slightest hint of sleep. Frustration struck and she decided once more patrol tonight wouldn't hurt. Throwing her clothes and boots on, she headed into the rain, watching the shop faces illuminate with every strike of lightning that pierced the thick clouds. She strolled, not really hunting, just killing time until she reached the local cemetery. 'Just like the old days' she laughed to herself as she remembered the first time she had taken on a cemetery alone.

Lost in her thoughts, and unaware to her distracted self, a figure emerged from the bushes behind her. Although awake, she hadn't taken into account the symptoms that seemed to be starting up and how the last time she had the flu, she was seventeen and ended up in hospital with it. Slayers didn't usually get sick but when they did, it was always much worse than the average person. She felt a round of sneezes coming on and quickly pulled a tissue from her pocket.

"Damn it!" She moaned, her muscles beginning to ache and burn. Deciding to head back to the small house Giles had bought her in an attempt to convince her to stay, she spun on her heels rubbing her nose.

Then she was on the ground, everything was starting to spin and she took a long deep breath. Her body beginning to slowly sink into the mud. She lay there, trying to catch her breath as the water pelted her in the face. She searched her pockets for her mobile and groaned when she remembered seeing it on the bedside table. 'Double damn' she thought. Finally pulling herself up, she noticed how everything was spinning and her stomach started turning in time to the trees and graves circling her. Her head felt light and she struggled to keep awake... then there was only darkness.

She awoke inside a concrete room, vaguely aware of her throbbing head and serve hunger pains as she sat up. 'What the...' she thought as she figured out she was in a mausoleum. The stone grey walls allowed very little sunlight to enter through the thin slits on the south facing wall. At least her flu seemed to be gone, but she still didn't feel right. She opened the tomb door, noticing that it was much lighter than she anticipated for but was too hungry to really care. The sunlight burned against her face, it reminded her of standing near Santa Monica Pier and watching Angle walk through the sunlight. She shook her head... 'If only'. That daydream was vaguely familiar, she could almost feel his hand on her skin, his lips on her lips...

"Miss are you ok?" A deep mans voice pulled her from her daydream. She spun to give him a reassuring smile.

"Yes I'm..." Her eyes drifted to his neck and she could see his throat pulsating with every heartbeat.

"Are you sure? Do you want me to call 999, that is a lot of blood on your top dear" he raised his hand to signal at her collar. She forced her eyes away from his neck, aware that she was suddenly ravenous and focused her attention on her own blood. She inspected the streams of blood that ran down her light blue sweater, starting on the neck line. Her finger traced her neck and she could feel small thick lumps.

"I need to go" She refused to take a breath, scared of the hunger that threatened to control her and the panic that was beginning to set in.

Buffy ran towards the small town house, in the door almost breaking the key off in the lock, up the stairs and in to the bathroom to examine her neck. Two little holes were there. Healing but there.

"Oh crap" her whispered toned voice trickled out. Full panic mode began to surface and she jumped in the shower in order to gather control and erase all signs of the night before. The water was too cold on her skin and she ended up only using hot water, the steam bellowing off of her in a thick mist. "Its a coincidence, its a coincidence, its a coincidence..." she repeated over and over again as she scrubbed her sore skin.

Wrapping a large white towel around her, she stood facing herself in the mirror. He face looked softer, smoother as if last night had erased a few years from her delicate skin. She gulped deeply as she stroked her fingers down her neck to those same two small marks. She noted the paler skin tone, the coldness of her own touch but quickly countered her own thoughts with that of running back through the sun. She let out a hysterical laugh, she had walked in the sun... she was being foolish, vampires couldn't walk in the sun.


	3. Chapter 2 - Awakening

Chapter 2 - Awakening

Was her life that boring these days that she had to make up crazy stories to entertain herself? Buffy dressed in a hurry aware that she would be late for her meeting with Giles. She added a scarf to her neck, conscious about the marks but choosing to ignore them. She couldn't deny that hunger she felt though and so, she rushed to the kitchen and pulling open the white draws, she allowed her self a bite of almost everything. With every bite her craving only became stronger and she found nothing being able to satisfy that feeling.

A knock on the door pulled her back to reality and she had this vague memory that Giles had sent a car for her. 'Pull it together Buffy' she reprimanded herself. Upon opening the door, she found a man in his late fifties, dressed in a black suit introducing himself.

"Buffy Summers?" he asked, a strong British accent pronouncing her name the same way Giles had in the beginning. "Mr Giles sent for me, have you got everything?" He smiled but Buffy could only focus on his heart beating.

His heart began to beat faster with every moment of growing uncomfortable silence as she stared at him.

"Ma'am" He reached out his hand towards her and without a thought she grabbed his hand and forced him inside and against the wall. Her hunger took over and before she could even think about her actions, her sharp teeth broke through his skin.

Only seconds past before her hunger was fulfilled enough that she could think straight. She broke away, realizing what she was after doing.

"I'm so sorry" her words flew out as she took in his cold un-moving expression. His face was frozen with fear and pain. "What did I do? This didn't happen. This did not happen at all." She made a low murmured panicked sound.

"This didn't happen" The man repeated. His lips moving softly as his face regained life. Buffy's brows shot together in confusion. "Are you ready to go Miss Summers?" He repeated like earlier, as if nothing had happened.

"No, I'm going to stay here... you need to leave right now though." She barked at him and he left without complaint.

Grabbing her phone, she ran back to the bathroom where she locked the white solid door behind her and sat on the floor, her head in her hands. After a few short breaths she finally gathered enough composure to send a text.

"I'm in London. I need you. Please come"


	4. Chapter 3 - Angel

Chapter Three - My Angel

Buffy hadn't moved. Not a single hair on her head had even shifted slightly. She had just sat still trying to force herself to wake up from this nightmare that wouldn't seem to end. Hours had passed, the sun had gone away for only moonlight lit up the white bathroom tiles that reflected it on to her. She heard the door downstairs open and her eyes shot to the bathroom lock, thankful that it closed.

"Buffy, Buffy are you home?" The English accent traveled up the stairs and foot steps followed quickly. "Buffy" he shouted again, this time she heard him enter the bedroom and walk towards the ensuite. Three knocks on the door followed by quick turning of the door handle. "Buffy, are you in there?"

"Giles, you need to go" She spoke softly and as calmly as she could manage it.

"Don't be silly, open the door. Whatever is bothering you we can sort out." He said gently back and she was positive she could hear him wiping his glasses.

"Giles, please. You need to get away from me." She begged.

"Buffy as your Watcher i'm telling you to open this door." She had always enjoyed when Giles tried to be firm with her, they both knew it never worked but she appreciated the effort normally. However today was different, this worried her.

Buffy heard the door downstairs shut.

"Buffy?" A familiar voice called out as she heard each footstep on each step up the stairs. It took her a moment to realize that she shouldn't be able to hear that. "Buffy?"

"Angel?" Giles confused tone held an air of accusation.

"Giles, Hi... Is Buffy..."

"She is in there. What are you doing here Angel?" In the early days, Angel had helped find and replace the lost texts and artifacts.

"She asked me to come... Buffy, are you ok?" Angel was just on the other side of the door now, his voice soft and pleading. "Has she said anything to you?" His voice low, directed only at Giles.

"No, just to leave"

"Open the door" The worry was breaking through his calm facade.

"If I... If I do, you need to protect Giles." She stuttered out.

"Protect me?"

"Angel promise me, no matter what."

"Ok Buffy, just open the door." His eyes flashed to Giles, fear evident.

"Even if it means you have to kill me. Promise me." Buffys voice was stern.

"Its not going to get to that..."

"Angel, promise me!"

"Ok. Promise, now will you open the door." She heard them both move away from the door.

Her hands shaking, she pulled back the bolt and slowly opened the door towards her. Her eyes met Angels, his were unreadable until he took in the blood that dripped down her shirt, they filled with fear and worry instantly.

"What happened?" he whispered softly as he walked towards her, raising his hand to her face.

"I don't know. I went on patrol last night, I must have passed out and when I woke up this morning i was like... you" Her voice broke.

"Oh" Angels fingers traced her face down to her neck, on to the two bumps and he lent in to take a breath. "You smell different."

"Angel, the sun, it didn't burn me"


End file.
